Most antiepileptic drugs target neuronal mechanisms. However, nearly one-third of patients have seizures that are refractory to available medications; a deeper understanding of mechanisms may be required to conceive more effective therapies. Recent studies point to a significant

contribution by non-neuronal cells, the glia – especially astrocytes and microglia – in the pathophysiology of epilepsy. This review critically evaluates the role of glia-induced hyperexcitability and inflammation in epilepsy.”
“Background. Psychological literature and clinical lore suggest that there may be systematic differences in how various demographic groups experience depressive symptoms, particularly selleck kinase inhibitor somatic symptoms. The aim of the current study, vas to use methods based on item response theory (IRT) to examine whether, when equating for levels of depression symptom severity, there are demographic differences in the likelihood of reporting DSM-IV depression symptoms.

Method. We conducted a secondary analysis of a subset (n = 13753) of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) dataset, which includes a large epidemiological

sample of English-speaking Americans. We compared data from women and men, Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites, African selleck Americans and Whites, Asian Americans and Whites, and American Indians and Whites.

Results. There were few differences overall, although the differences that we did find were primarily limited to somatic symptoms, and particularly appetite and weight disturbance.

Conclusions. For the most part, individuals responded similarly to the criteria used to diagnose major depression

across gender and across English-speaking racial and ethnic groups in the USA.”
“It is well known that Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) plays an important role in signal transduction in the central nervous system. However, the function of GABA in the peripheral nervous system, including sensory ganglions, is still unclear. In this study we have characterized the expression, cellular distribution, and function of GABA(B) receptor subunits, and the recently discovered GABA(B) auxiliary subunits, K+ channel tetramerization domain-containing (KCTD) proteins, in rat trigeminal ganglion (TG) neuronal very cells, which are devoid of synapses. We found heterogeneous expression of both GABA(B1) and GABA(B2) subunits, and a near-plasma membrane localization of KCTD12. In addition, we found that GABA(B2) subunits correlated with KCTD16. Whole-cell current-clamp recordings showed that responses to the GABA(B) receptor agonist, baclofen, were variable and both increases and decreases in excitability were observed. This correlated with observed differences in voltage-dependent K+ current responses to baclofen in voltage-clamped TG neuronal cells.